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Not yet. Our school does The Polar Express every year and I'm fine with it. (We actually played the Polar Express at our house last weekend when we hosted a big holiday party and I'll be honest it didn't occur to me that any parents would have any issues with it). However, if I had the flexibility to keep her home and school was doing something I wasn't comfortable with, I wouldn't hesitate to do so.

I haven't yet, but I wouldn't hesitate to do so.

I don't know anything about Polar Express, though, so I wonder what I would have done...is it sad or something? I also have a sensitive child when it comes to movies.

We haven't yet, but I get it. The boys get really scared of a lot of movies. There are very few actual movies that at some point they don't want me to turn off because they get scared. They have watched Polar Express, but the scenes where he's on the top of the train scared them a little bit, but we got through it.

As for the pajama day thing, we had almost the same thing happen today. Their pre-k teacher sent out an email about it being pajama day today. Then at 6:30 this morning, she sent one that said it wasn't pajama day for the 3 year olds. We dropped them off at daycare (they walk them over to the pre-k when it's time) and most kids looked like their parents had gotten the last email and sent them in regular clothes, but there were a couple in pajamas. I hope they didn't feel uncomfortable being the only ones. The lack of organization makes me crazy.

All that to say, I think as parents we get to choose what's best for our kids and if that means an impromptu daddy-daughter day, so be it!

I would have brought her jammies to school in that case. LO is 3 and has seen The Polar Express. She's also pretty sensitive but I think it is less scary than pretty much every Disney movie!

Edit to add: But, you are totally right to be unhappy that this wasn't communicated better! Both about the movie and the jammies.

Wow, we are in the exact same scenario. Today is PJ day, they're watching polar express and dd is really sensitive to movies. They did tell us prior tho and I would've been annoyed if they hadn't. I tried to watch it with her this last weekend but we only made it through about 30 min. So I told my concern to her teacher and her teacher said they'll send her to another class if she doesn't want to watch. As far as your original question, I am still sending her just because the teacher was very understanding about her sensitivity and dd is familiar with the other classes. I did think about not sending her tho

I haven't ever yet---but My husband and I also have fairly inflexible jobs, so we only would if it was something super major.

Last school year, our older daughter was in daycare 3 days a week and home with the nanny 2 days. We often didn't get information that they would send home on the 2 days she wasn't there--so we had many days where we didn't know it was pajama day, or "wacky hair" day, or whatever. It didn't bother me or her. But my oldest is a pretty adaptable child.

We did just have a huge situation in our town where our daughter's pre-school had a bus field trip. The day before LOs class was scheduled to go, another grade went and had a terrible (scary and unsafe) bus driver and the parent chaperones told all of our local parent group about it. I didn't read about it until the morning of the field trip and I was already almost to work. I did call my husband and nanny and make a plan B that if I didn't get good answers, I would keep LO home with the nanny that day. However, after I got in touch with LOs teacher, I found out the director was aware of the bad bus driver, had called the bus company and that driver was fired, and assured me they had new drivers who were vetted, etc etc. The director actually rode on my LOs bus and sent us email updates throughout the trip since so many parents were freaking out.

Lots of parents pulled their kids that day, but their answers satisfied us so we let LO go and she had a blast.

My child is not sensitive at all so no, I can't foresee that happening. But you know your child.

@lamariniere: I was just about to suggest that. I remember it was movie day and the class voted to watch Beauty and the Beast. She got really scared after 5 minutes so she went to the other class and napped with them.

I haven't yet. It would be an inconvenience to take a day off at the last minute because of something unrelated to sickness. DD also has major FOMO so i think she would also be upset if we pulled her out during a fun day.

Today my oldest NK had a movie/ PJ day but it was mentioned multiples times and stated in the news letter. I would have been annoyed if I wasn't informed via email or in person but it wouldn't have been a big deal. I don't think we were told what the movie was but I didn't ask because I know my bosses wouldn't care.

Also, I think kids act different when they're not around their parents and they're around fellow peers. I wouldn't have pulled her but she's your child and you know her best

The only example I can think of where some parents pull their children from the sex ed class but that's a whole different basket.

What am odd movie choice. I teach at my kids' daycare, and our older classes watched Frosty or Rudolph or something like that. One of the short, classic ones.

It sounds like you made a good choice for your family ... I don't think I'd like to pay for a day of school, and have 1/2 of the awake time taken up by a movie (and for the reasons you mentioned). I am pretty adamant about no TV or screen time at school, but we found a school that agrees.

The only thing I've ever intervened on was a pool party. I didn't have confidence that her teachers could watch all of the children safely at the splash pad/wading pool (even though I trust them!!), so I opted to join them. If I wasn't able to join, I would have just picked her up.

I haven't but I would be conflicted too if I were you. How could your school not tell you guys about the movie and pajamas?

How old is your LO? Funny because literally a few moments ago I saw on FB, a friend of mine posted a picture where her daughter was in immense fear and hugging my friend and the title was "I didn't know polar express can be that scary". And she is almost 5. So there lol. My son (also almost 5) gets scared and was traumatized watching Finding Dory. We had to walk out midway because he was in tears. So I wonder what I would have done too. If I couldn't take him out of school, I would have had a furious talk with the daycare director about it.

I haven't been in this situation yet. But I did watch this movie yesterday and there are definitely some scary parts. Except for the cute scene with the dancing waiters and the cocoa, the kids spend practically the entire movie in some sort of peril. My 3 year old was ok with it, but he's not super sensitive and we watched it with him. I could see a more sensitive kid being upset by the movie.

@mediagirl: @Mrs. Blue: So glad there are others here whose kids are sensitive to movies... we have tried movie night in multiple settings and my kids (3, 5) are scared of everything. I definitely would have taken my kids out. BTW, if anyone has suggestions of non-scary movies I would appreciate it. The only show we've found with few (not zero) scary moments is Daniel Tiger.

@shellio: For holiday movies, my kids loved Cat and the Hat Knows a Lot About Christmas from the time they were 2-ish and they also never have been scared of Charlie Brown Christmas. Regular movies...I'm trying to think if there are any they both really like and didn't get at all scared. I can't think of any full length movie they have both loved and weren't scared by. They like more tv shows than actual movies.